China service
Daily Mail , Issue 1668

"CHINA's vampire state is about to sink its fangs into Kowtow Keir. Stand by for a humiliating spectacle," shrieked the Daily Mail's editorial page on 27 January, declaring that the prime minister's "determination to reach out to Beijing could scarcely be more foolhardy" and describing his hopes to use last week's trip to promote British business with China as "desperately naive".

"When supping with the devil it's wise to use a long spoon," the paper scoffed. "This totalitarian regime is dedicated to crushing both democracy and individual freedom. It has enslaved Uyghur Muslims and brutally represses dissent."

Red top, red carpet
For further demonstrations of desperate naivety and vampire-flirting, look no further than the China National Convention Center in Beijing, where from 13 to 15 January next year the Beijing Energy Congress will be co-hosted by DMG Events, the sister company to the Daily Mail.

"China plays an essential role in shaping the global energy future, and this collaboration reflects DMG Events' continued commitment to connecting the world's leading producers, innovators, and investors," gushed DMG Events boss Christopher Hudson in a spectacular display of kowtowing last November as he signed the partnership deal with the communist state-owned Beijing North Star company.

He and his new chum Wei Ming-Qian boasted that "the partnership underscores a shared commitment to accelerating dialogue, investment and innovation across borders, ensuring that the next phase of global energy transformation is built on collaboration, technology and trust".

Wei forward
The signing ceremony took place exactly three weeks after Wei appeared on a platform with local government officials to showcase how his company had "taken active measures to support Beijing's role as a centre for international exchanges during the 14th Five-Year Plan period".

More top stories in the latest issue:

THE HURT LOCKER
Prince Harry's turn in the witness box in his case against Associated Newspapers was briefer than expected, but it did provide some illumination.

BROOKLYN DODGERS
The Daily Mail claimed the Peltz family's use of lawyers in family matters is "entirely alien to the Beckhams' sensibilities". Oh yeah?

SMOKING AREA
Daily Mail bosses demanded that staff turn up to work at its office after a fire that left staff having to avoid toxic fumes by keeping the windows open.

SUN DOWNER
Journalists on the Sun's features desk and those on the Fabulous magazine were told last week their teams are being merged, with several losing their jobs.

CITY LICKERS
It shouldn't be a surprise that it was the Financial Times that exclusively revealed Saudi Arabia is scaling back its Neom megaproject.

PENETRATIVE JOURNALISM
Under editor Michael Gove the Spectator is back to the Sextator of old, with recent issues dwelling on polyamory, dwindling male libidos and more.

SLOP OUT
Bosses at Reach plc have come up with a fresh euphemism for their clickbaity headlines, calling this gulf between headline and reality the "curiosity gap".

REGIONAL DEPROGRAMMING
A cautionary case study of how local news coverage has been hollowed out in certain parts of the UK would be Reach plc's Gloucestershire Live.